Speaker Johnson: Dems ‘Have Incited Violence in My View’
House Speaker Mike Johnson is raising alarm over the safety of Donald J. Trump following Saturday night’s shocking shooting incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner—warning that the escalating political climate is fueling real-world threats.
Speaking in an interview on Fox News, Johnson described the moment chaos broke out inside the venue, recounting how his security detail rushed him to safety as confusion spread throughout the ballroom.
“It was surreal for everybody involved. When the chaos ensued, I was up actually on a platform, that raised platform around the perimeter of that giant ballroom, and I was stuck in a group taking photos of people. So I didn’t hear the gunshots. And the next thing I know, half of my security team jumps behind me, comes behind me, rushes up, grabs me by the shoulders and pushes me out the nearest exit door, which is about six feet behind us,” Johnson added.
“And that’s where you see that photo where we’re going down that hallway. The other half of my team went immediately to go grab my wife, Kelly, and get her out of another door. And we met up about 60 seconds later. They took us to our motorcade, which is in the basement of the hotel. And we just sat in the trucks there and waited for the developments for quite a while,” the Speaker continued.
Johnson emphasized that the incident underscores the seriousness of ongoing threats against the president, noting that multiple assassination attempts have occurred since 2024. He also praised President Trump’s response in the immediate aftermath.
“And that was a long while. It was quite a scene. I told the president last night, we talked at length, and I said, I thought your tone was excellent in that press conference right after that event, and the tone that he’s had since about that. It is a moment, a sobering moment for the country. We’ve got to unify. And we’ve got to handle these things together and recognize we’re facing, you know, real threats out there. It’s a dangerous time. So it’s time for us to stand together.”
Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer also referenced upcoming security discussions, noting that top Trump adviser Susie Wiles is expected to convene meetings focused on presidential protection protocols in the coming days.
Hemmer pointed to comments made by Democratic Senator John Fetterman, who called for a more secure, permanent venue for such high-profile gatherings.
“We were there front and center. That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government. After witnessing last night, drop the TDS, the Trump Derangement System, syndrome rather, and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these.”
Johnson responded by saying Fetterman’s remarks stand out among Democrats.
“No, he’s a rare voice in that camp, and we need more of that. In fact, they’ve done the opposite. They’ve incited violence, in my view,” Johnson declared.
“I mean, you have some of the most prominent figures in the House and the Senate on the Democrat side, effectively, you know, calling for war. I mean, they use those kinds of metaphors, and it incites violence because there are crazy people in society, and they get radicalized online. And so we’ve got to recognize that. It’s time to turn down the rhetoric,” he continued.
Johnson reiterated the need for both improved security infrastructure and a shift in political discourse, pointing to President Trump’s longstanding proposal for a secure White House ballroom.
“I hope that this will be a sobering reminder for everybody about that very important cause. I’m grateful to Fetterman. He’s right. The ballroom will be a solution for this, because it’ll be on the most secure compound in the world. It won’t have hotel rooms above it, and it’ll have seven-inch-thick glass, for example, on the windows, so it’ll be a very safe environment to do events like this. We need a place. We have needed a place like that, and the president keeps pointing it out.”
As questions mount about how such a breach could occur, Johnson’s remarks reflect growing concern among Republican leaders that the threat environment has intensified—and that both security measures and political rhetoric must adapt accordingly.